MYRTLE BEACH, SC AUGUST 1, 2014 – The Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Texas Rangers, lost the series opener to the Salem Red Sox 4-3 on Friday night at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark. Jantzen Witte singled four times to set a career-high for hits in a game. With the win, Salem tied the season series at seven apiece.

Royce BolingerMyrtle Beach Pelicans

The game was scoreless over the first four innings. Pelicans starter Sam Wolff made his second start since coming off of the disabled list on July 26. Wolff pitched three scoreless innings, striking out four while scattering three hits and a hit batter. Jose Monegro came in to the game in the fourth inning to relieve Wolff.

After Monegro worked around a leadoff double in the fourth, the Red Sox (18-22, 51-57) took a 2-0 lead in the top of the fifth inning. Jordan Weems singled to center field to lead off the inning. Matty Johnson singled to left field in the next at-bat to put runners on the corners with nobody out. Johnson then stole second base. With one out, Mike Miller gave the Sox a 1-0 lead with an RBI single, scoring Weems and advancing Johnson to third. Witte then drove home the second run for Salem with an RBI single to left.

Salem took a 4-0 lead in the top of the sixth on a two-run home run by Johnson.

Salem spot starter Jacob Dahlstrand did not allow a hit in the first three innings and was unscored upon over the first five frames.

The Pelicans (22-20, 66-44) got on the board in the bottom half of the inning. With one out, still working against Dahlstrand, Chris Garia doubled to right field. Three batters later, Royce Bolinger drove home Garia with an RBI single to cut Salem’s lead to 4-1. Salem turned to Kyle Martin to get out of the inning.

The Birds cut their deficit to 4-3 in the bottom of the eighth. Garia singled to lead off the inning and later stole his 35th base of the season, tying J.C. Holt for the third-most steals by a Pelican in a single season in team history. Jorge Alfaro drove in his league-leading 72nd RBI with a single to center field, scoring Garia. Two batters later, Bolinger hit an RBI triple to deep right field to score Alfaro and cut the lead to one.

Martin (8) retired six of the next seven batters to finish off the save, pitching the final 3 1/3 innings for Salem.

The Red Sox starter Dahlstrand(1-0) pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings in his longest appearance this season to earn the win. Monegro (2-2) surrendered all four runs and took the loss.

Game two between the Pelicans and Red Sox is Saturday night at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark, with first pitch set for 7:05 p.m. The Birds send Chad Bell (4-1, 3.86) to the hill to face Red Sox starter Pat Light (5-5, 5.00). The game can be heard live on WRNN AM 1450 ESPN Myrtle Beach, on the TuneIn Radio App, and via the MiLB First Pitch App, beginning with the Hampton Inn Pregame Show at 6:45 p.m.

Saturday night is Coaches vs. Cancer Night, courtesy of WRNN Hot Talk and WMBF News, featuring a Steve Spurrier and Dabo Swinney mini football giveaway to the first 1,000 fans. There will be a silent auction to benefit Fierce Fallon. It is also NFL Night with an appearance by Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders, courtesy of 96.1 WKZQ. In addition, it is Locals Appreciation Night, courtesy of Sparks Toyota and WMBF News. Fans who show their local ID will receive $3.00 off of their ticket purchase.

Season Seats, Mini Plans, Flex Books, and single game tickets are available to see the Pelicans in 2014. For more information on tickets, please call (843) 918-6002, e-mail info@myrtlebeachpelicans.com, visit www.MyrtleBeachPelicans.com, or visit the Pelicans box office, which is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

About the Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans are the Class A-Advanced affiliate of the Texas Rangers and play their home games at TicketReturn.com Field at Pelicans Ballpark in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The park was named the best in the Carolina League by Baseball America in 2009 and the overall experience ranked third in all of Minor League Baseball by Stadium Journey in 2013. The Pelicans earned co-Mills Cup championship honors in their inaugural 1999 season, won the outright title in 2000, and has garnered seven half-season Southern Division titles, most recently in the first half of 2013. For more information on the Myrtle Beach Pelicans, please contact Nathan Barnett by calling (843) 918-6080 or emailing NBarnett@MyrtleBeachPelicans.com.

About the author

Michael "Beach Mick" Hudson is the founder and Editor of Beach Carolina Magazine. Living along the coast of North Carolina, Mike has a passion for the beach and loves to bring news and events of the Carolinas to others around the world.

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